Tamiflu and methotrxate

[MandiS]

Hi has anyone been prescribed or Rajesh tamiflu whilst being on Methotrexate? I suffer with Ra and was prescribed this today as have a household of sick teenagers but in reading up it seems that there aresone horrible side effects . Just wanted to know if it’s normal to get these antiviral a prescribed as it’s my first year of diagnosis of RA thank you

[Beverley-NRAS]

Hi MandiS,

you may find this article about the flu season on our website useful to read:

nras.org.uk/news/looking-af...

Oseltamivir is the generic name for Tamiflu

Regards

Beverley (NRAS Helpline)

[MandiS in reply to Beverley-NRAS]

Thank you Beverly. I started taking it today as I woke up feeling horrid my kids have been are so ill with this flu.

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Mandi. I've been on MTX 8 years though not had Tamiflu as I always have the flu jab early in the season, I believe it's more effective at protecting us against the particular strains each flu season. My GP Surgery has me on it's recall list annual, because I have RD & my h is diabetic, so they just send a reminder. Is there a specific reason why you've been prescribed Tamiflu over the vaccine (specifically Rajesh which I'm unfamiliar with)?

[MandiS]

Hello No more heels. “Rajesh”was a autocorrect didn’t mean to type it . My Dr said the strain of flu quite bad I had flu jab in October but have 3 sons at home all very sick for over a week so I think I was given as a precaution because I started to feel really unwell. I was also given antibiotics but told only to take them if I don’t feel better within 3-4 days. Fingers crossed it will work . It seems very nasty strain going around no energy heavy achey limbs headache cough (sounds like normal symptoms of RA) . Dr said that it will lessen severity of symptoms and duration and possibly prevent secondary infection. Hope so .

I will let u know how I get on with it took first dose today .

[nomoreheels in reply to MandiS]

Autocorrect can have its uses but not helpful when it makes stuff up! I see now why it's been prescribed, so I would say no, it's not normal to be prescribed them after you've had your flu jab, except that is in precautionary circumstances such as you're needing at the mo. According to the blurb you can halve the chances of catching flu or if you do you can reduce the length of time you're ill by half a day to a day, depending on which resource you read! People like us with dicky autoimmune systems are obviously at greater risk of being more severely affected by flu with secondary's such as pneumonia & bronchitis so it could make the difference between being really poorly or just poorly, in other words it has a modest result. Still worth taking I'd say though particularly as the percentages of those having common side effects are quite low.

Do as you've been told re the antibiotics though, it sounds as though you're fighting it feeling as you do & those symptoms on top of RD will drag you down so if you're feeling worse over the weekend do start the course.

I hope you can avoid it but it doesn't seem too likely as it seems you're living with the dreaded lurgy. Lots of hand washing & no hand towel sharing plus avoidance is the order of the day I'd say. x